21 replies to this topic

[alanb]

I agree with Teeds idea to beef up the coastline a bit. My idea would be to then added outwardly lighter lines maybe 3 or 4. This might symbolise breaking waves and thus the appearance of sea. A bit like you see in pre-20th century maps. This however would give the idea that someone had spent a bit more time on the map and detract from your feeling of a "sketch" map.

[DaveB]

Another thing I've considered is actually handwriting it on paper and scanning it.

I think that would be worth doing. Wouldn't take a whole lot of time.

[Dennis McClendon]

Yeah, I'm completely baffled by the tablet. Is there a shortage of ballpoint pens in your part of the world?

Anyway, using an actual pen with a calligraphy nib will give you much nicer linework and lettering.

[MapMedia]

Excellent Hans!

Hand-drawn implies familiarity. The choppy, sketchy coastline does not imply this imho. Possibly a pen and paper (0.5 mil black drafting pen) and drawing the coastline over and over until it looks natural, easy, and has some character. This could then be used in Photoshop to add some small fill pattern elements before returning to hand-drawn work. I see my method is much easier said than done. Best of luck and congratulations on your efforts.

[Teeds]

Hans:

I agree on the scanning of written text. I have to sign all my architectural construction documents when they are issued for construction with my signature and a hand written issue date over my seal. The seal is electronic in AutoCAD and the signature and date are written, scanned, cleaned up and turned into a gif file in Photoshop and then inserted into my electronic border that is the background for every sheet file.

You can easily do an entire sheet of text and scan and clean it up before inserting it. Make it even easier, by writing in in the correct location by using a light table.

Talking about ink and hand lettering brings back many fond memories. I've been drafting and doodling for 40 odd years beginning with crow quill pens and linen and progressing to the computer.

Something was clearly lost along the way. The sexy artistry got lost in the quest for turn around.

Thanks for sharing this journey. Reading about your journey makes me want to experiment myself.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Thanks for all your comments. Unfortunately the client did eventually request a more traditional map. By that time my time was running low (so was my productivity: I took a nasty fall and dislocated my shoulder), so I ended up with this.

 Haiti_3ct.jpg   395.7K   74 downloads

In retrospect, I could have made the coastline more obvious...

[etdusultandeRavistan]

"In Kingston, Jamaica, in the 1970s, Frances Madden asked youths to draw a map to show waste bins should be located; but when she showed the map to her supervisor he told her to go away and do a proper one."

(Robert Chambers, Participatory mapping and geographic information systems : Whose Map ? Who is empowered and who disempowered? Who gains and who loses? , 2006, EJISDC)

Nice work dud!

JD